Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Fittingly, my first post back involves bacon. You know you wouldn't have it any other way. These cookies are great to take to a party, great to eat standing up over the counter(but not right out of the oven), and they also freeze well. They're also great if you have been asked to bring something for the cookie table at a Pittsburghian wedding. What's a cookie table you ask? It's this crazy, awesome tradition where a bunch of people (family usually) bring a ton of different kinds of cookies to a wedding and they get put on the cookie table. And then you eat them.

These gems, they have peanut butter. They have bacon. They have all kinds of awesome. I came across the recipe for these in the Joy the Baker cookbook, she also has a website here, which is equally rad to browse. Hers is the kind of cookbook I just read because it's full of delicious goodness. Aptly titled, "peanut butter bacon cookies".

Preheat oven to 350. Bake bacon off in oven. Just line a baking sheet with foil, or if you have a cookie cooling rack, put that over the baking sheet and lay the bacon on it. The bacon should be done in 12-15 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to cool. Coarsely chop when it is cool enough to handle.

Line a clean cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixed (paddle attachment), cream together the peanut butter, 1 cup of the sugar and the molasses until combined, about three minutes. Add egg, baking soda and nutmeg and mix on medium for another two minutes.

Remove paddle attachment and use a wooden spoon to fold in bacon and peanuts. Roll dough into large walnut-sized balls and roll in the remaining sugar. Place on cookie sheet and use a fork to make the classic peanut butter cookie pattern. If the dough is crumbly, just press together with your fingers.

Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool on the baking sheet for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack to completely cool. Don't get too excited here and just start eating - the cookies will crumble in your hands!!! Let them cool. Please.

When they've cooled, put 'em an airtight container and they'll last up to five days. To be honest, they have lasted longer than two days in my house. This recipe should make two dozen cookies.

We've eaten them too quickly every stinkin' time and I always forget to take a finished photo. You'll just have to trust me on this one. You know I'd never steer you wrong when bacon is involved. That's just mean.